Cord taking-up and releasing device

ABSTRACT

A cord taking-up and releasing device includes a main body consisting of a housing, a turning knob on a top of the housing, and a seat below the housing; a taking-up and releasing unit received in the housing and including a first shaft connected at an upper end to the turning knob and at a lower end to a retaining gear; and a cord-winding unit mounted on the seat of the main body and including a reel having an upper end engaged with the retaining gear, a lower end rotatably connected to a second shaft, and a middle portion, to which two ends of a cord are tied. Through manipulation of the turning knob, the taking-up and releasing unit brings the cord-winding unit to quickly take up or release the cord tied to the reel without being affected by the length of the cord wound around the reel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cord taking-up and releasing device, and more particularly to a novel cord taking-up and releasing device that enables quick and safe taking-up and releasing of a cord tied thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most of the currently available cord taking-up and releasing devices typically include a housing, a ratchet, a spiral elastic element, and a locking gear. A lot of invention and new utility model patents have disclosed cord taking-up and releasing devices having the above-mentioned basic structure in an attempt to improve the function and industrial value of the devices.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 509017 discloses an automatic shoulder belt rewinder, which mainly includes a case, a cover plate, a ratchet, and a locking gear. The case defines an internal receiving space, and has a slot provided at an upper end of one side thereof. The cover plate is closed to an open side of the case. The ratchet is internally provided with a spiral elastic element and an axle, and mounted in the receiving space of the case. The locking gear is rotatably mounted to the slot at the upper end of the case. Both the ratchet and the locking gear are rotatably mounted in the receiving space of the case with a pawl plate of the locking gear engaged with teeth of the ratchet. When a shoulder belt wound around the ratchet is extended through the locking gear, it could be pulled outward from the case. When the shoulder belt is pulled outward, it brings the ratchet to rotate at the same time. At this point, teeth on the ratchet move clockwise without being caught by the pawl plate of the locking gear, and the belt could be pulled out to a desired length.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 482183 discloses a mobile phone earpiece with automatically rewindable cord, which mainly includes a lower case, a reel, a cam, and an upper case. The lower case is provided with a recess for receiving the reel therein. The recess in the lower case has a central rotary shaft upward projected therefrom.

The reel has an I-sectioned configuration to define an annular recess for the cord of the earpiece to wind therearound. A spring is mounted on the reel with an end fixed to the rotary shaft and the other end fixed to an outer edge of the annular recess. When the cord of the earpiece is pulled outward to a desired length, it may be held in place by the cam and a pawl. And, when the outward pulled cord held in place is pulled again, the reel is released from the pawl to freely rotate and thereby rewinds the extended cord of the earpiece.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 473454 discloses a small-size electric cord reel. According to one of eight similar independent claims of the invention, there is provided an electric cord reel adapted to revolve on a spindle. The electric cord reel includes a spool, a length of releasable and rewindable electric cord having a plurality of conductors and a reinforced outer layer, a rotary mechanism attached to the spool, and an inner cable held in an inner chamber of the spool. The spool is rotatably mounted on the spindle, and has an annular wall defining an outer recess and the inner chamber. The rotary mechanism includes a spring, an end of which is connected to the spindle and the other end of which is connected to the spool. The disclosed small-size electric cord reel is characterized in that the spool has a diameter smaller than about 4 cm and a thickness less than about 2 cm, and that the releasable electric cord is about one meter or longer.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 219450 discloses a freely rewindable tying device, which mainly includes a screw, an upper cover, a reel, a spiral spring, a seat, a tying cord, a collar, a U-shaped jacket, a hold-down cover, a retaining ring, a clip, and a brake block. The tying cord is counterclockwise wound in a recess of the reel, and the reel is mounted in the seat. The spiral spring has an inner end fixed to a post on the seat, and an outer end fixed to the recess of the reel.

From the above-mentioned patents of prior art, it is found the spiral spring included in the rotary mechanism is used in the conventional taking-up and releasing devices to actuate the taking-up and releasing movements. The effectiveness of such structure is frequently subject to the length of the spiral spring. When the spring is too long, the rewinding ability thereof is reduced accordingly. That is, the conventional taking-up and releasing devices are not able to effectively release and rewind an overlong cord or similar linear material.

It is therefore desirable to develop an improved taking-up and releasing device with different spatial and functional design to overcome the problems existed in the above-mentioned conventional devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a cord taking-up and releasing device that is not functionally restricted by a length of the cord to be taken-up or released.

To achieve the above and other objects, the cord taking-up and releasing device of the present invention includes a main body consisting of a housing, a turning knob on a top of the housing, and a seat below the housing; a taking-up and releasing unit received in the housing and including an upper shaft collar, an upper ratchet, a lower ratchet, a first shaft, inner and outer elastic elements, a retaining gear, and a C-shaped retaining ring; and a cord-winding unit mounted on the seat of the main body and including a reel, a lower shaft collar, and a second shaft.

The housing of the main body is provided at a top surface with a first guide hole, and near a lower end with two opposite through holes. The seat of the main body is provided with a second guide hole, and a bottom of the main body is connected to an article having a cord to be tightened or loosened via the cord taking-up and releasing device.

The first shaft of the taking-up and releasing unit has a lower end fixedly engaged with the retaining gear.

The reel of the cord-winding unit has a shaft hole rotatably mounted around the second shaft, which is fixedly mounted in the second guide hole of the seat.

A cord or a linear material is connected to the reel by extending two ends of the cord into the main body via the two spaced through holes on the housing.

The upper ratchet is immovably mounted in an upper part of the housing, and has a diameter larger than the lower ratchet. The lower ratchet has a lower portion formed into a diametrically reduced cylindrical column, around which the outer elastic element is mounted to normally push the lower ratchet upward to engage with the upper ratchet, such that the lower ratchet could be rotated clockwise but not counterclockwise. In a shaft hole of the lower ratchet, there are provided with guide slots to engage with an upper end of the retaining gear, so that the retaining gear is limited to slide upward and downward only along with the lower ratchet.

The first shaft is upward extended through shaft holes of the lower ratchet, the upper ratchet, and the upper shaft collar to project from the housing via the first guide hole and connect to the turning knob. When the turning knob is turned clockwise, the first shaft, the retaining gear, and the reel are brought to turn along with the lower ratchet, so that the cord tied to the reel is wound around the reel and tightened. Reversely, when the turning knob is turned counterclockwise, the immovable upper ratchet prevents the lower ratchet and other parts coupled therewith from rotating reversely. To loosen or release the cord, simply upward pull the turning knob for the first shaft and the retaining gear to synchronously slide upward and disengage a lower end of the retaining gear from axial guide slots at an upper end of the reel, so that the reel is allowed to freely rotate reversely to release the cord, and the cord in a loosened state could be pulled outward via the two spaced holes on the housing.

With the above arrangements, the cord taking-up and releasing device of the present invention is more easily operable and not functionally affected by the length of the cord to be wound around or released from the reel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cord taking-up and releasing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partially assembled cord-winding unit included in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fully assembled perspective view of the cord taking-up and releasing device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway perspective view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a first example of application of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a second example of application of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 3 in which a cord taking-up and releasing device according to the present invention is shown. As can be clearly seen from the drawings, the cord taking-up and releasing device of the present invention mainly includes a main body 10 consisting of a turning knob 11, a housing 12, and a seat 13 (see FIG. 3); a taking-up and releasing unit 20 received in the housing 12 of the main body 10 and including an upper shaft collar 21, an upper ratchet 22, a lower ratchet 23, a first shaft 24, inner and outer elastic elements 25, 26, a retaining gear 27, and a C-shaped retaining ring 28; and a cord-winding unit 30 mounted on the seat 13 of the main body 10 and including a reel 31, a lower shaft collar 32, and a second shaft 33.

The housing 12 of the main body 10 is provided at a top with a first guide hole 121, near a lower end with two diametrically opposite or circumferentially properly spaced holes 122, on an inner wall surface with an annular groove 123, and along a lower annular end surface with a plurality of spaced fixing holes 124 (see FIG. 4).

The seat 13 of the main body 10 is provided at a center with a second guide hole 131, and at areas surrounding the second guide hole 131 with a plurality of radially inner holes 132 corresponding to the fixing holes 124 at the lower end surface of the housing 12, and a plurality of radially outer holes 133. The seat 13 is fixedly connected at an upper side to the lower end surface of the housing 12 by upward screwing fastening elements 134 through the inner holes 132 into the fixing holes 124, and at a lower side to an article having a cord to be tightened by screwing fastening elements 134 through the outer holes 133.

The upper shaft collar 21 of the taking-up and releasing unit 20 has an upper end fixedly received in the first guide hole 121 of the housing 12, and a radially extended lower flange 211 bearing against an inner side of the top of the housing 12. The upper shaft collar 21 also defines a central shaft hole 212 axially extending through the upper shaft collar 21.

The upper and the lower ratchet 22, 23 of the taking-up and releasing unit 20 mutually engage with each other, and are provided with central shaft holes 221, 231, respectively. The upper ratchet 22 is diametrically larger than the lower ratchet 23, and is immovably fitted in an upper part of the housing 12. The lower ratchet 23 is provided in the central shaft hole 231 near a lower end thereof with guide slots 232, and has a lower portion formed into a diametrically reduced cylindrical column 233 to provide a radially extended surface between an upper portion and the reduced lower portion 233 of the lower ratchet 23. The outer elastic element 26 is mounted around the reduced lower portion 233 of the lower ratchet 23 with an upper end of the outer elastic element 26 normally pressed against the radially extended surface.

The first shaft 24 of the taking-up and releasing unit 20 is provided on an outer surface with a flat portion 241 axially extended from top to bottom of the first shaft 24. The first shaft 24 has a lower end fixedly fitted in an upper end of a shaft hole 271 of the retaining gear 27 for the retaining gear 27 to always move along with the first shaft 24, and an upper end having the inner elastic element 25 mounted therearound. That is, the inner elastic element 25 is mounted around the upper end of the first shaft 24 to locate between the lower flange 211 of the upper shaft collar 21, an upper end of which is fixedly received in the first guide hole 121 of the housing 12 and provides a stationary end, and the upper end of the retaining gear 27, which provides a movable end. More specifically, a lower end of the inner elastic element 25 is pressed against a top surface of the retaining gear 27, so that the first shaft 24 and the retaining gear 27 are always brought by an external force to synchronously slide upward or return to a home position. Moreover, the upper end of the first shaft 24 is sequentially upward extended through the shaft holes 231 of the lower ratchet 23, the shaft hole 221 of the upper ratchet 22, and the shaft hole 212 of the upper shaft collar 21, and finally fixedly connected to the turning knob 11. The C-shaped retaining ring 28 is press-fitted in the annular groove 123 in the housing 12 to provide a fixed place for a lower end of the outer elastic element 26, and thereby enables the outer elastic element 26 to normally press its upper end against the radially extended surface above the diametrically reduced lower portion 233 of the lower ratchet 23.

The reel 31 of the cord-winding unit 30 is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots 311 for a toothed lower end of the retaining gear 27 to slide thereinto, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber 312, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface 313 for winding a cord 14 therearound. The radially inward curved peripheral surface 313 is provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes 315, to which two ends of the cord 14 are tied and fixed in place. A central shaft hole 314 axially extended between the upper end with the guide slots 311 and the lower cylindrical chamber 312 is provided in the reel 31.

The lower shaft collar 32 of the cord-winding unit 30 is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole 321, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck 322 for fixedly mounting in the second guide hole 131 of the seat 13 of the main body 10. The second shaft 33 has an upper end rotatably received in the shaft hole 314 of the reel 31, and a lower end fixedly fitted in the shaft hole 321 of the lower shaft collar 32 to locate in the lower cylindrical chamber 312 of the reel 31 along with the lower shaft collar 32.

Please refer to FIG. 4. When the turning knob 11 is turned clockwise, the first shaft 24 and the retaining gear 27 are brought to rotate synchronously. Since the first shaft 24 is pressed by the inner elastic element 25 against the top of the retaining gear 27 to normally slide downward, the toothed lower end of the retaining gear 27 is normally received in the guide slots 311 at the upper end of the reel 31. On the other hand, the upper end of the retaining gear 27 is normally engaged with the axial guide slots 232 in the lower ratchet 23, allowing the retaining gear 27 to slide upward and downward only. Moreover, since the outer elastic element 26 wound around the reduced lower portion 233 of the lower ratchet 23 normally pushes the latter upward to engage with the upper ratchet 22 fixedly received in the housing 12, the clockwise turning of the turning knob 11 would bring the first shaft 24, the retaining gear 27, and the reel 31 to move along with the lower ratchet 23 to wind the cord 14 around the radially inward curved peripheral surface 313 of the reel 31 and thereby tightens the cord 14. And, when the turning knob 11 is turned reversely, since the lower ratchet 23 is completely checked by the fixed upper ratchet 22 from rotating, the taking-up and releasing unit and the cord-winding unit are not rotated. When it is desired to loosen the cord 14, simply pull and hold the turning knob 14 upward, so that the first shaft 24 brings the retaining gear 27 to slide upward and disengage the toothed lower end from the guide slots 311 at the upper end of the reel 31. At this point, the reel 31 is no longer retained by the retaining gear 27 and allowed to rotate reversely, and a user may release the wound cord 14 from the main body 10 by pulling the cord 14 outward via the two spaced holes 122 on the housing 12.

The present invention may have many different applications. FIGS. 5 and 6 show two examples of the application of the present invention. As shown, the cord taking-up and releasing device of the present invention may be used on a sports shoe 40 or a bag 50 to tighten or loosen a lace 14 thereof.

Unlike the conventional taking-up and releasing devices, the present invention provides upgraded winding ability to enable convenient adjustment of the length of a cord or any other type of linear material. With the present invention, it is no longer necessary to take time to tie and untie the cord tightened with the present invention.

The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A cord taking-up and releasing device, comprising: a main body consisting of a housing, a turning knob on a top of said housing, and a seat below said housing; a taking-up and releasing unit received in said housing of said main body and including a first shaft, and said first shaft having a first end facing outward to fixedly couple with said turning knob and an opposite second end facing inward to fixedly couple with a retaining gear; and a cord-winding unit mounted on said seat of said main body and including a reel, to which two ends of a cord is tied; said reel having a first end normally engaged with said retaining gear, and an opposite second end rotatably connected to a second shaft; whereby when said turning knob is turned in a first direction, said taking-up and releasing unit is caused to bring said cord-winding unit to quickly take up said cord around said reel; and when said turning knob is upward pulled and held, said cord-winding unit is disengaged from said taking-up and releasing unit to release said cord from said reel.
 2. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing of said main body is provided at a top with a first guide hole, via which said first shaft is upward extended to couple with said turning knob, and near a lower end with two spaced holes, via which two ends of said cord are inward extended to tie to said reel.
 3. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat of said main body is provided at a central area with a second guide hole, through which said second shaft is extended.
 4. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said taking-up and releasing unit received in said housing of said main body further includes an upper shaft collar, an upper ratchet, a lower ratchet, and inner and outer elastic elements; and said upper shaft collar having an upper end fixedly fitted in said first guide hole of said housing, and a lower end formed into a radially extended flange to normally bear against an inner side of the top of said housing; and said upper shaft collar being provided at a center with an axially extended shaft hole for said first shaft to extend therethrough.
 5. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper and said lower ratchet of said taking-up and releasing unit mutually engage with each other, and are respectively provided with a central shaft hole; said upper ratchet being diametrically larger than said lower ratchet, and immovably fitted in an upper part of said housing of said main body; and said lower ratchet being provided in its central shaft hole near a lower end thereof with axial guide slots, and having a lower portion formed into a diametrically reduced cylindrical column for said outer elastic element to mount therearound.
 6. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first shaft is provided on an outer surface with an axially extended flat portion, and has a lower end fixedly fitted in an upper end of a shaft hole of said retaining gear for said retaining gear to always move along with said first shaft, and an upper end around which said inner elastic element is mounted; said upper end of said first shaft being sequentially upward extended through a shaft hole of said lower ratchet, a shaft hole of said upper ratchet, and said shaft hole of said upper shaft collar, and finally fixedly connected to said turning knob; and said C-shaped retaining ring being press-fitted in said annular groove in said housing of said main body.
 7. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first shaft is provided on an outer surface with an axially extended flat portion, and has a lower end fixedly fitted in an upper end of a shaft hole of said retaining gear for said retaining gear to always move along with said first shaft, and an upper end around which said inner elastic element is mounted; said upper end of said first shaft being sequentially upward extended through said shaft holes of said lower ratchet, said shaft hole of said upper ratchet, and said shaft hole of said upper shaft collar, and finally fixedly connected to said turning knob; and said C-shaped retaining ring being press-fitted in said annular groove in said housing of said main body.
 8. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cord-winding unit further includes a lower shaft collar, which together with said reel and said second shaft to form said cord-winding unit.
 9. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cord-winding unit further includes a lower shaft collar, which together with said reel and said second shaft to form said cord-winding unit.
 10. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cord-winding unit further includes a lower shaft collar, which together with said reel and said second shaft to form said cord-winding unit.
 11. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cord-winding unit further includes a lower shaft collar, which together with said reel and said second shaft to form said cord-winding unit.
 12. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cord-winding unit further includes a lower shaft collar, which together with said reel and said second shaft to form said cord-winding unit.
 13. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said reel of said cord-winding unit is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface for winding said cord therearound; and said radially inward curved peripheral surface being provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes, to which two ends of said cord are tied and fixed in place.
 14. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said reel of said cord-winding unit is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface for winding said cord therearound; and said radially inward curved peripheral surface being provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes, to which two ends of said cord are tied and fixed in place.
 15. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said reel of said cord-winding unit is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface for winding said cord therearound; and said radially inward curved peripheral surface being provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes, to which two ends of said cord are tied and fixed in place.
 16. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said reel of said cord-winding unit is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface for winding said cord therearound; and said radially inward curved peripheral surface being provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes, to which two ends of said cord are tied and fixed in place.
 17. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said reel of said cord-winding unit is provided at an upper end with a plurality of axially extended guide slots, at a lower central area with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and at a middle portion between upper and lower ends thereof with a radially inward curved peripheral surface for winding said cord therearound; and said radially inward curved peripheral surface being provided at two properly spaced points with two retaining holes, to which two ends of said cord are tied and fixed in place.
 18. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lower shaft collar is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck for fixedly mounting in a second guide hole on said seat of said main body.
 19. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said lower shaft collar is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck for fixedly mounting in a second guide hole on said seat of said main body.
 20. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said lower shaft collar is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck for fixedly mounting in said second guide hole on said seat of said main body.
 21. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said lower shaft collar is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck for fixedly mounting in a second guide hole on said seat of said main body.
 22. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lower shaft collar is provided at a central area with an axially extended shaft hole, and at a lower portion with a diametrically reduced neck for fixedly mounting in a second guide hole on said seat of said main body.
 23. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second shaft has an upper end rotatably received in a shaft hole of said reel, and a lower end fixedly fitted in a shaft hole of said lower shaft collar, and said lower shaft collar being located in a lower cylindrical chamber of said reel.
 24. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second shaft has an upper end rotatably received in a shaft hole of said reel, and a lower end fixedly fitted in a shaft hole of said lower shaft collar, and said lower shaft collar being located in a lower cylindrical chamber of said reel.
 25. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second shaft has an upper end rotatably received in a shaft hole of said reel, and a lower end fixedly fitted in a shaft hole of said lower shaft collar, and said lower shaft collar being located in a lower cylindrical chamber of said reel.
 26. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second shaft has an upper end rotatably received in a shaft hole of said reel, and a lower end fixedly fitted in a shaft hole of said lower shaft collar, and said lower shaft collar being located in a lower cylindrical chamber of said reel.
 27. The cord taking-up and releasing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second shaft has an upper end rotatably received in a shaft hole of said reel, and a lower end fixedly fitted in a shaft hole of said lower shaft collar, and said lower shaft collar being located in a lower cylindrical chamber of said reel. 